Amusement apparatus.



No. 817,402. PATENTED APR. l0, 1906. W. H. STRIKLER. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION :FILED MAR.11. 1905.

No. 817,402. PATENTED APR. l0, 1906. W. H. STRICKLER. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1l, 1905.

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PATENTED APR. 10, 1906. W. H. STRIGKLER.

AMUSBMBNT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAILU. 1905.

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' WILLIAM H. .STRICKLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

amusewIEN-r APPARATUS..

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application led March 11,1905. Serial No. 249.640-

nying drawings, and to the letters of reier-.

ence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to im rovements in amusement apparatus of that nd known as roundabouts and to that class or type of such devices which embrace a central supporting-tower, a revolving crown or trame mounted on the top oi" the tower, and a plu- `rality oi' cars suspended from the revolving crown or `frame by cables or the like and in which the partsare so constructed that in the turning ofthe rotative parts at a considerable speed the suspended cars will not only revolve about the tower, but will be swung outwardly through centrifugal torce, so that they will rise from the ground or starting-level and move in a circular path much larger than that followed thereby when moving slowly.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an apparatus embodying the same. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section oi the upper part of the tower and the parts of the revolving crown engaged therewith. Fig. 3 is a detail plan section taken upon line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view oi' the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken upon line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the connection between the outer ring and the radial arms oi the crownframe, taken on line 6 6 oi Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

As shown in said drawings, A indicates the tower of' the apparatus, which, as illustrated, consists of six metal posts a a, arranged in upwardly-convergent relation and connected with each other by suitable cross-ties and braces.

B B indicate radial trussed arms, which, as shown in the drawings, are six in number, connected with each other by suitable connecting members so as to 'form arigid horizontal frame or crown, which is centrally supp orted on the top of the tower in such manner as to turn or rotate thereon. moreover, consists of inclined upper' and lower truss members B B2, arranged in out-- wardly-convergent relation and attached to each other at their outer ends. Said upper and lower truss members are arranged with4 their inner ends at a considerable distance vertically from each other. The inner ends of the upper truss members B are attached to a central connectingplate D, which rests and turns upon the top of' the tower A, and the inner ends of the lower truss members B2 are attached to a ring G, which surrounds the tower at a considerable distance below its top. The upper ends of the posts a a oi' the tower are shown as attached to a circular cap-plate A on which rests the central connectingplate D. To the ends of the arms 'are attached a series of curved bars or girders D6 D, constituting a continuous rigid ring, which surrounds the outer margin of the revolving frame or crown.

C C indicate cars within which are seated the patrons ofthe apparatus'. In connection with the six-arm crown illustrated siX of these cars are employed. Each car is sus pended from the revolving frame 'or crown by suspension-cables c c, two of which are prei erably employed at each end of each car. The carswill preferably be connected with the girders B6 near the ends of the same. This connection may be made, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, by means of U-sha ed stirrup-irons C', connected by horizontal olts c with. the girders j, the looped ends of the suspensioncables c c being inserted through said stirrupirons.

Now referring to the details of construction in the revolving lframe or crown and the bearings thereof, these parts, as shown in the drawings, are made as follows: The inner ends oi the upper longitudinal truss members B of the several arms B B are rigidly attached to the central plate D, which is circu lar and located above the cap-plate A of the Each of said arms,

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tower. Between said plate D and the said cap-plate is located a suitable form of antifriction-bearing, herein shown as having the form of a ball-bearing- Said plate D is, moreover, held centrally in position with respect to the cap-plate A' by means of a central upright shaft or bearing-stud E, affixed at its lower end in a central socket in the capplate A' and rising through the said plate D. The antifriction or ball bearing illustrated consists of a bearing-plate D', secured concentrically on the lower face of the plate D and having a downwardly-facing bearingsurface, a bearing-plate F', secured to the top of the cap-plate A' and provided with an upwardly-facing bearing-surface, a plurality of antifriction-balls ff, interposed between said plates D' and F', and a revolving plate F2, interposed between said plates F F', provided with a number of apertures to receive the Vballsff. Said plate F' serves to hold the yballs ff at uniform distances apart as they travel in circular paths on the plate F'. Said plate F2 is not intended to carry any weight, but is located loosely between the bearingplates F F' and is moved or carried with the vantifriction-balls in a manner heretofore common and well known. The bearing thus formed between the central connecting-plate D of the revolving frame and the cap-plate A' of the tower takes the entire weight or downward stress of the said frame and the cars suspended therefrom.

The inner ends of the lower truss members B2 of the-several arms B B are rigidly secured to the ring G, which, as before stated, surrounds the tower at a considerable distance 'below the cap-plate A'. Attached to the uprights afa. of the tower within the ring G is a stationary guide-ring H, which is adapted for bearing engagement with the said ring G and -on which the latter turns. The contact-surfaces lof the rings G and H are preferably made cylindric, so that the said ring H carries nonev of the weight of the revolving frame which comes entirely upon the top of the tower. In other words, said ring H with the ring G constitute guiding means for holding the revolving frame from tilting or tipping or for maintaining Vsaid frame always in a yhorizontal position. Means for giving rotative vvmovement tothe -revolving frame are shown uas adapted to act upon the said ring G. Devices for the purpose illustrated consist lof a horizontal rotative shaft I and is mounted at its ends in bearing-brackets J J, `secured to the opposite posts c a of the tower 'and extending outwardly therefrom. Said shaft I carries the gear-pinion I', which inter- -meshes with a series of gear-teeth g, formed on the under surface of the ring G. Said shaft I is also provided with a sheave or pulley I2, around which may be passed a rope belt by which the shaft may be driven from an engine or any other actuating device lo` braces B3 B3 referabl r consisting of angle# 7 P l e bars secured at their ends to the truss members B' B2 of the arms by means of gussetplates t' b', inserted and riveted between the two angle-bars b l), constituting the said truss members and to which the ends of the anglen bars constituting the braces are riveted.

The trussed arms B, formed by the top and bottom longitudinal truss members B' B2 `and the interposed oblique struts, are joined to each other by laterally-extending oblique braces B4 B4 and B B5. Said oblique braces B4 B4 and B5 B5 are arranged in pairs. The braces B4 B4 are arranged to cross each other and extending from points near the inner ends of the lower truss members B2 obliquely outward to points near the centers of the next adjacent lower truss members. The struts B5 B5 likewise cross each other and extend from the outer ends of the braces B4 B4 to the outer ends of the lower truss members.`

To the outer ends of the arms B B is attached the circular rigid ring, formed by the segmental girder-sections DSD, which are attached at theirends to the outer ends of said arms. The attaching means illustrated consist of plates D7 D7, secured between the ends of the angle-bars t b, constituting the arms B B and having their outer ends bent in opposite directions from each other and riveted to the flanges of the girder-sections D6 D6, as clearly seen in Figs. 6 and 7.

The several trussed arms B B, together with the oblique braces B4 B5, connecting the lower truss members B2 B2 with each other and the girder-sections DG D, joining the outer kends of said truss-arms, constitute a rigid frame or crown all parts of which are rigidly held in position with relation to each other and which constitutes an exceedingly strong, firm, and rigid structure 'adapted to withstand any strains or stresses coming thereon by reason of the weight of the loaded cars suspended therefrom or otherwise in the operation of the apparatus.

A main feature of my invention is embraced in the construction by which the rotative trussed frame or crown is made of considerable depth at its center, has bearing engagement at the center of its top part with IOO IIO

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the top of the tower by a bearing adapted to take the entire weight of the said frame or crown, and at the center of its bottom part surrounds and has lateral bearing engagement with the tower at a point considerably below the upper end oit the latter in a manner to hold the crown in a horizontal position, notwithstanding unequal strains that may come upon the periphery oi the same. By this construction a strong and reliable support of the revolving frame or crown is provided, because the weight of said frame or crown is carried directly upon the top of the tower, while the bottom of said frame has guiding engagement with the body oi the tower ata considerable distance below its top, and any stress or pressure tending to tip the frame or throw it out of a horizontal position is taken by the tower itself at a distance considerably below its upper end and is resisted by the iiull strength of the rigid upper end of the tower. An important advantage is also gained by the construction described, by which said horizontal frame or crown is made up of a series of radial trussed arms embracing rigidly-connected outwardly-converging upper and lower truss members and in which the inner ends of the upper truss members are united to a central plate or connecting member and. the inner ends of the lower longitudinal truss members are attached to a rigid ring, 'which surrounds the tower below its upper end, for the reason that by this construction a frame is made having great strength and rigidity to resist vertical stresses due to the weight ofthe cars and their occu pants.

I claim as my invention- The combination with a tower consisting of a plurality oi' upwardly-converging posts, a cap-plate to which said posts are secured at their upper ends and a bearing-ring located. at a distance below said cap-plate and surrounding and rigidly connecting with each other the said posts, said ring having a cylindric exterior bearing-surface, ol" a revolving truss-frame or crown embracing a plurality oi' radial truss-arms having upper and lower, out'wardlyconvergent, rigid, longitudinal truss members, braces rigidly connecting said truss members with each other, a central connecting-plate to 'which said upper truss members arerigidly attached at their inner ends, and a ring to which the said lower truss members are rigidly attached at their inner ends; said truss-frame or crown surrounding the upper portion of the tower with its eentral connecting-plate in bearing engagement with the cap-plate of' the tower and with its said ring surrounding and engaging the cylindrie outer bearing-surface of said bearing-ring on the tower.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aiiiX my signature, in presence oi two witnesses, this 7th day ol March, A. l). 1905.

WILLIAM [-I. STRICKLER.

Witnesses C. CLARENCE POOLE, E. B. WILKINs. 

